Departments

All full-time students are required to take an English course each semester of attendance and must earn at least 48 credits in English before graduation. Seniors may elect an additional yearlong course if space is available. The English Department curriculum consists of yearlong courses. Students may take Honors-level courses in their sophomore, junior, and senior years. In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades, there are options that link the study of English with the study of history. These courses must be taken along with their history equivalents. Not all students who request these courses will necessarily be placed in them, as sections are limited. Students who enter the courses must make a serious commitment to remain in these courses, since if either the English or the history is later changed, the linked class must also be changed. All courses use an antiracist lens to study literature.

Newton South offers the opportunity for students to earn a Fine & Performing Arts Certificate demonstrating a commitment to an in- depth and diverse study of the Arts. Students who wish to commit to this program will enroll in a sequence of art, music, and/or theatre classes starting in 9th grade that specialize in one discipline. This certificate also has an expectation of exploration outside of your chosen discipline and a commitment to community service. Applications for the certificate will be reviewed and awarded in the fall of senior year.

• Visual Art Certificate – 36 Visual Arts Credits, 12 additional credits in any F&PA class & a demonstrated commitment to community service.
• Music Certificate – 36 Music Credits, 12 additional credits in any F&PA class (performance classes preferred) & a demonstrated commitment to community service.
• Theatre Certificate - 24 Credits, 12 additional credits in any F&PA class & a demonstrated commitment to community service.

Students are expected to take a two-year World History sequence in grades 9 and 10, and a year of United States History in grade 11. Seniors may choose from a variety of History and Social Sciences electives, which are only open to seniors. In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades there are options that link the study of History with the study of English. These courses must be taken along with their English equivalents. If either the English course or the History course is changed at a later date, the linked class must also be changed. Not all students electing to register for these courses will be placed in them, as space is limited; therefore, it is important that alternate choices be listed for these courses.

The Wellness Department is pleased to offer a progressive and sequential education to Newton South students. This curriculum aligns with key learning objectives and state and national curriculum frameworks. The curriculum is designed to help students understand the Wellness and Community Building Models and their connection to the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies. Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life for the mind, body, and spirit. SEL is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

The Science, Technology & Engineering Department offers students opportunities to explore the physical and biological world through a balance of student-centered, hands-on learning experiences, experimentation, collaboration, and more traditional classroom experiences. Emphasis is placed on how science develops explanations while students explore the content. Scientific inquiry and creative problem solving are central as students develop their ability to think critically about the behavior of the physical and biological world, and to build reasoned arguments based on observable data. First year survey courses in physics, chemistry, and biology are offered as the foundations for electives that explore more specific topics. AP courses in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science are offered as second year coursework that follow a full-year, laboratory-based course. Additional second year electives are offered at multiple levels so that all students can explore an area of curiosity or pursue a future area of study. Our elective offerings include Organic Chemistry, Biotechnology, Physics & Music, Biotechnology, Marine Science, Neurobiology, Astronomy, Anatomy & Physiology, etc.

Students may also explore Tech Ed and Engineering electives that afford them the chance to experience applications of science. Tech Ed and Engineering courses offer students the chance to learn through designing, building, revising, and collaborating on both teacher and student-directed projects. The real-world, practical experiences are designed to carry over into students’ future pursuits as critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, and well-informed consumers. Recently added is the Engineering Certificate sequence, through which students can engage in a longitudinal study of engineering throughout their high school careers, culminating with a student-driven capstone build in their Senior year.

The World Language Department proposes sequential programs in Chinese, French, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. We strongly recommend that students consider their high school study of language part of a long-term commitment to become proficient in at least one language other than English. The primary objective of all world language courses is communicative and cultural proficiency, a goal requiring commitment over time. To this end, the department recommends that students pursue the study of at least one world language through the upper levels, including level 5, where it is offered.

In modern language classes, a variety of multi-modal assessments gauge student progress along the ACTFL proficiency continuum, as well as towards mastery of targeted vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students take a wide variety of performance and achievement-based assessments to demonstrate their ability to understand, speak, read and write another language in a thematic context. In the fall of their senior year, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their level of proficiency on nationally normed assessments with the potential to earn a Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy. We encourage students to explore the possibility of participating in one of our study abroad programs as a means to further develop their cultural and linguistic skills. The Jennifer Price Global Education Leadership Fund (GELF) exists to provide scholarship support to make this feasible for all students.

World Language courses are geared to students who take them as a new language. Native speakers of Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish who wish to study their own language must submit a writing sample to determine if they might benefit from a World Language course in this language. See guidance counselors (Oak Hill, Brown or NSHS) for a placement assessment form before the registration deadline and return the form to the counselor or contact the World Language Department Head at NSHS.